The Home Improvements Thread (2)

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Smokey mcpot said:
Honestly I don’t know how guys can say a job is too small. My biggest client asked me to paint a tiny little spare bedroom which just about fitted a single bed and cupboard with space to walk next to the bed. Little did I know this was basically a test as we ended up doing the entire 7 large bedrooms guest house inside and outside, including the 2 cottages on the property. This also led to me now doing all his properties maintenance.
Imagine I had said the bedroom was too small, instead I just asked him to buy the materials and have him a low price as it was barely any work.

even small things like fixing a leaking toilet/tap leads to clients using in in future if your work ethic is good.
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Well guess what my little braai place project is, its exactly this. I have a bigger project in mind ito openning up the lounge and kitchen, redoing a bit of the roof and some interior work. Now I'm dreading this even more cause if I can't get a braai place off the ground, whats the chance for the rest :(
 
Is it unfair to say that, this part of the job is not the industries strong point OR is this a 1 to 1 reflection of the project to come and/or their quality of work?
 
Difficult to answer.

there are days when I can respond immediately and some times I respond at night due to being busy... as far as even responding 2 days later. Not because it’s not important, but because I’d like to have a clear mind and answer you properly.
It’s hard when you’re running things.

then comes big business where they have dedicated people just to answer calls and do admin. Very professional and always available to answer... however there is a big paint company like this who is professional until their job is completed. When the walls start cracking in less than a year, or the waterproofing they claimed they did is showing signs of damp... then all the professional attributes go out the window and the smaller guy would actually have been the better option.
 
Smokey mcpot said:
Difficult to answer.

there are days when I can respond immediately and some times I respond at night due to being busy... as far as even responding 2 days later. Not because it’s not important, but because I’d like to have a clear mind and answer you properly.
It’s hard when you’re running things.

then comes big business where they have dedicated people just to answer calls and do admin. Very professional and always available to answer... however there is a big paint company like this who is professional until their job is completed. When the walls start cracking in less than a year, or the waterproofing they claimed they did is showing signs of damp... then all the professional attributes go out the window and the smaller guy would actually have been the better option.
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Yeah, this is also a problem. "Big" companies set themselves up to be great at acquiring new work and doing a job quickly and efficiently.. but aftersales is just totally non-existent from many of them. They have your money so who cares really is the attitude.

Its such a balancing act trying to find the right guy/company that will do the job right and provide the right support if its ever needed.
 
SAguy said:
Exactly... after our building nightmare my new plumber recommended someone to do the final patching up. I gave him a small bit of work to start with (like R2k) - now he's up to about R20k of work from me because I'm impressed with his work.
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I've spent just over R1m in four years on renovation - if only one of those guys had given decent service, they would of had quite a bit of business. More than a handful have lost out on any business whats over by being slack from the get-go.

BUT - come Monday - I'm starting with a brand new builder - holding thumbs this time. Started my side last night, cleared out my office, everything removed (raw bolt sleeves removed with a metal drill bit). Tonight I pack away the lounge.

IMG_20210224_185958.jpg

Hopefully in April, I'll have my new office, and my wife will have her new baby room.
 
xrapidx said:
I've spent just over R1m in four years on renovation - if only one of those guys had given decent service, they would of had quite a bit of business. More than a handful have lost out on any business whats over by being slack from the get-go.

BUT - come Monday - I'm starting with a brand new builder - holding thumbs this time. Started my side last night, cleared out my office, everything removed (raw bolt sleeves removed with a metal drill bit). Tonight I pack away the lounge.

View attachment 1026370

Hopefully in April, I'll have my new office, and my wife will have her new baby room.
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Good luck man... there's very little more painful and unpleasant than renovations.
 
Varktjop said:
Thanks a lot. It's not like I wanted to sleep again.. ever :ROFL:
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I don't feel bad... if you're doing renovations you'll be lying awake in bed at night, picturing rather just wiping your arse with randelas - because that would be more pleasurable than renovations.
 
With laminate/vinyl plank flooring, what is the best way to install kitchen cabinets that have exposed feet?
We had it at our previous place, but over time the laminate flooring started to lift in spots most likely due to not being able to move under the weight of the cabinets?

Should I cut a little hole around each foot in the planks and 3d print a grommet or something, so that the foot stands on the concrete floor?
 
SAguy said:
With laminate/vinyl plank flooring, what is the best way to install kitchen cabinets that have exposed feet?
We had it at our previous place, but over time the laminate flooring started to lift in spots most likely due to not being able to move under the weight of the cabinets?

Should I cut a little hole around each foot in the planks and 3d print a grommet or something, so that the foot stands on the concrete floor?
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I don't think you'll have that problem with vinyl - is stuck down vs laminate which is slotted in loose.
 
xrapidx said:
I don't think you'll have that problem with vinyl - is stuck down vs laminate which is slotted in loose.
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I have vinyl planks, not stick down vinyl. It's the same concept as laminate flooring, but with a vinyl upper.
 
xrapidx said:
What the opinions on wooden vs steel door frames for indoor doors?
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Definitely wood for me. You have so much more options in terms of doing nice mouldings. Also if you dent a steel door frame it's more of a mission to repair.

In bathrooms the steel door frame can also show signs of rust, which you won't have a problem with wood.

Even if painting, I still prefer wood. Another reason I like wood is that if you do find yourself with an oddly sized door frame, or you want to do moulding around a hatch/arch - you can have the same look as you would on doorframes.

Other thing is that some newer doors have the solid wooden block for the lock set lower than other doors, or the handle just looks better in a specific spot - if you go steel you may have to use a grinder to cut a new hole in the steel door frame, and then patch up the original slot. With a wooden frame it's easier to cut and patch.

Wooden door frames you can even make yourself from laminated pine or meranti. Pine boards inside the frame, skirting/architrave around the face and another piece of thinner pine as a door jamb. Giving you flexibility to build a door frame easily yourself with a few tools.
 
Thanks, busy deciding here - all our other door frames are steel - with the frame around the wall - if I do wood - it'll be the only door that's different - BUT - all the other doors except one - are on the other side of the house.

Type of frame we have now:
765409933bc59a7d59ccddf050aa1105.jpg
 
Given that all your others are steel, I would stick with what you already have... but then I'm OCD like that.

Having everything in the house the same shows a level of attention to detail that matters in my opinion.
 
xrapidx said:
Thanks, busy deciding here - all our other door frames are steel - with the frame around the wall - if I do wood - it'll be the only door that's different - BUT - all the other doors except one - are on the other side of the house.

Type of frame we have now:
765409933bc59a7d59ccddf050aa1105.jpg
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Referencing this picture - the two tiles seen here are the same "model" - just different colours.

I'm now building a wall "over" the browner tile (tile removed) - we tried to save some of the greyer tile - but couldn't save enough.

So I have options - I have two boxes of the brown tile, none of the grey.
1.) Finish off the new walls edging using the brown tile - but with the grey tile pattern. (it will eventually meet the grey tile - but - should be hidden by furniture.)
2.) Finish off the new wall with the brown tile, following the brown tile pattern
3.) Do the same as nr 1 - and try and colour the tile to look like the other trim tiles.
4.) See if I can find a tile that comes close to the grey tile somewhere
 
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Right, another question - the room has two plug sockets, replacing them with standard cbi ones (current ones are the cheap metal ones) - but I noticed it looks like the one is connected to the other over 1.5mm2 cable - surely it needs to be 2.5mm2?
 
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